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Cambridge University academics voted overwhelmingly to back controversial
reforms of the institution's rules on intellectual property this week, as
headhunters continued their search for a new director of Cambridge's crucial
technology transfer arm.

The new rules mean that the university will own the intellectual property
rights on the ideas and inventions of its staff, bringing it into line with
other major research universities in the world.

Key to ensuring the rules work effectively is Cambridge Enterprise, which in
September began the search for a director.

Tim Cook, managing director of Isis Innovation, the technology transfer arm of
Oxford University, has been involved in the search for a director at Cambridge.
"The clarification of IPR rules means that the new director should be able to
hit the ground running. The first task will be to convince researchers to use
the centre. It must not be seen as a bureaucratic hindrance," he said.

Mr Cook said that he had been approached about the job but declined.

He said that while a small number of academics were highly entrepreneurial, the
majority needed support. "Cambridge is sitting on an untapped asset,"

he said.

Discussion of IPR began in 2002 under former vice-chancellor Sir Alex Broers.
The rules spell out how royalty income should be shared between the inventor,
or academic, the department and central university in the form of Cambridge
Enterprise.

If the academic decides to involve Cambridge Enterprise in the exploitation of
an idea, the inventor will keep 90 per cent of the first £100,000 or
royalty income, 60 per cent of the second £100,000 and 34 per cent of
sums above £200,000 - giving a progressively larger share to Cambridge
Enterprise and the inventor's department.

If the spin-off department is not involved in the exploitation of an idea, the
inventor would keep all of the first £50,000 in royalties. For sums above
£50,000 the inventor keeps 85 per cent with 7.5 per cent going to the
department and 7.5 per cent to central funds.

Ian Leslie, pro vice-chancellor, said: "If academics have the relevant
expertise to go out and find investment and develop spin-off companies
themselves then they can do so."

But opponents of the reforms described their passing as a "sad day" for
Cambridge. Ross Anderson, professor of security engineering at the computer
laboratory and a leader of the opposition, said: "These reforms have destroyed
what made Cambridge special and led to the development of successful technology
clusters in Silicon Fen."

Regent House, the university's ruling body, voted by 790 to 298 to embrace the
changes.

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